And what is the distinction between animal rights and animal welfare? I mean, I think most of us when asked would say that we love animals, protect them when we can, and are certainly not opposed to their welfare or well-being. But invariably when the term rights are used in the same sentence as animals, people tend to ask "Well what about human rights?" as if the two are mutually exclusive. It's like saying that if you're concerned about the one, you can't care about the other. Not true in my opinion. In my own life I see my increasing involvement with animal rights as a natural progression of all the other rights that have occupied my time at one point or another: human rights, women's rights, gay rights, children's rights, disability rights, and now, animal rights. Perhaps too my focus these days is more on those whom I view as having the least amount of power, the least able to give voice, but I don't see the different rights as necessarily unconnected.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
transitioning to veganism
Well, since I don't really know where to begin, I think I'll just jump right in. I set up this blog almost two months ago and in that time have successfully been following a vegan diet, although I still have a few non-vegan items (i.e. leather knapsack and sandals) in use. Technically therefore I would be considered a total or strict vegetarian rather than a vegan per se, but I like the term "transitioning to veganism" (found in Joanne Stepaniak's Being Vegan) better as that more accurately describes where I'm at.
You may have noticed the short definition of vegan that I provided at right, but here is a more complete definition provided by The Vegan Society (est. in 1944) in England:
Veganism denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude--as far as possible and practical--all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals, and the environment.
I think what appeals to me about veganism is the fact that it isn't just some diet (although what may most strongly stand out in some people's minds are the things that vegans won't eat), but a way of life based on a philosophy and purposeful principles. And while there may be different motivations for people embracing veganism (namely health, environment and ethical concerns), the path and end result (avoiding animal products) are the same.
In this blog I hope to chart my journey as I become a full-fledged vegan, and outline the "what, why, and how" of what I'm doing in case it's of any interest to others. I also want this blog to focus on the more fun aspect of veganism--food! Yep, I'll be reporting and posting pictures of what I'm cooking and eating, both successes and failures. I'm also starting a related companion blog on animal rights because even though I've adopted veganism as a way of life for myself, I don't think you have to be vegan per se to be concerned about animal welfare. In that blog I'll be exploring where I stand when it comes to animal rights (there are so many different issues and outlooks!), and I invite you to join me there as well. For those of you who know me primarily through Think Outside The Piggy Bank, thank you for visiting and please do come again.
Comments
Just out of curiosity, do you feel healthier now that you are vegan? What, if any, kinds of changes have you noticed in your overall health, energy level, etc.?
To be honest, no, BUT I think that's because my diet was really healthy to begin with, and over the years I had already cut out most dairy products and rarely ate red meat. For example, my breakfast for the last I-don't-know-how-many-years has been oatmeal with soymilk, so my first meal of the day was vegan before I even knew what the term meant! Haven't really noticed a difference in energy levels, although I have to admit that I tend to eat more because meat and eggs did make me feel fuller. So I'm probably one of the few vegans who may have gained a bit of weight, snort. Worth it though! :)
I will post something you emailed to me:
"Becoming vegan doesn't mean you are suddenly the vegan police, so don't judge others or try to catch them doing something un-vegan. Pay attention to your own life. What kind of vegan do you want to be? Will you subscribe only to the belief that our animal friends shouldn't be eaten? Will you remove all things from your life that contain animal products? Will you reduce, reuse, and recycle everything you can so that this planet is a clean, healthy place for animals and people? We both wear leather shoes. That's because we're not just pro-animal, we're also pro-Earth. It's our belief that nothing should be wasted. We will never buy new leather products again, but will continue to use the ones we bought before we went vegan. Sarah still has the same leather belt for over eight years, and it will probably last another eight. She wants to use up her possessions rather than litter the garbage dump with discarded leather so that she can buy an animal-friendly replacement. When the time comes for a new belt, she'll opt for the vegan one. That's our personal choice. Our decision to make. What's yours?"
I can't remember which of the two Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard cookbooks that quote came from, but I think it was actually a pretty brave thing to say because I bet ya there are enough vegans out there who would declare that stance to be unvegan.
I myself just exchanged my leather wallet (gave it to my mom who needed one) for a nice fabric one, but am still undecided about my backpack.
What a wonderful and important message! Thank you for this blog. I truly look forward to reading and interacting with it. May you find many readers and inspire many others to do everything they can do to help the non-human animals we share this world with. Congrats on the launch!
Thank you Krissa! I really appreciate the encouragment and support. And I think what you said is key -- we're supposed to share the world with non-human animals -- something we human animals appear to have forgotten. I look forward to our upcoming dialogue. :)
Thanks, A.R.. Yep, sharing. One of the first steps toward respecting our furry/feathered/scaly friends is to realize that we are in fact sharing this planet with them. We are not their *masters*. We have possibly destroyed the climate of this planet so that, sooner than we think, it will be uninhabitable for all. How sad is that? We made the mess, not them. But we're all going to pay for it. Yeah, humans are the most highly evolved species. Right.
I have to admit that in my more cynical moments I sometimes think that if other living creatures and nature itself weren't involved, I wouldn't give a crap about global warming/climate change, and that the human race will deserve everything it's gonna get. Like I said, in my darker hours. :)